


This I Know

by Thighz



Series: The King Island Series [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Aquariums, Bad First Dates, Islands, M/M, Marine Biologist Gabriel, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sassy familiars, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, mcgenji(mentioned), moicy(mentioned), no-nonsense romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 09:45:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15628035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thighz/pseuds/Thighz
Summary: On a dreamy island in the middle of the ocean, Jack finds refuge from his nightmares at a local aquarium; where one Gabriel Reyes works with sharks.





	This I Know

**Author's Note:**

> Finally, the time has come! My contribution for the 2018 R76 Big Bang. It's been a wild, amazing ride and my artists were simply gorgeous!
> 
> You can check out the art by Giza: [Here](https://gartblog.tumblr.com/post/176806680571/this-i-know-by-thighz-summary-on-a-dreamy)  
> And the art by Lennyways: [Here](https://lennyways.tumblr.com/post/176806302494/im-finally-allowed-to-share-the-art-i-did-for)
> 
> Go show them lots of love and enjoy!

 

_ **This I know** _

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack Morrison has seen the ocean a handful of times in his life. Once when he was 11 and his parents took him to Florida for a family vacation. Another time when he was 17 and enrolling in the Army despite his mother begging him not to; he could see the blue of it from the window of the recruiting center. And the last time when he was flying into the airport after returning from active duty overseas.

The smell of saltwater and hot sun on seaweed fills his nose as the ferry chugs over choppy waves. Water laps against the boat, the sea salt scraping away what used to be red paint along the bottom of the boat.

The sun is bright behind the sunglasses he’s using to cover his eyes and the temperature of his skin rises under the thin blue shirt he donned for this trip across the sea.

Jack adjusts the backpack on his shoulders, heavy with the weight of what little he deemed worthy to bring along. The keys to his motorcycle jingle on a belt loop as he shifts his weight from foot to foot.

People are chattering excitedly around him, wearing large hats and too much sunscreen. Some are throwing cold french fries up at the seagulls screeching at the back of the ferry and others are laid back in their cars with the windows rolled down.

It’s all so normal.

The most normal thing Jack’s been around in five years.

The long, awkward stay with his parents when he returned home with a seabag and too much PTSD didn’t count as normal. Nothing he came home to felt right. No matter how much he tried to ‘adjust’, no matter how many sessions he went to or the soft, muted sobs of his mother sitting alone on her bed, it always felt wrong.

He had to get away.

And the modest island sixty two miles off the coast of New England seemed to be the best place he could think of to start fresh.

A clean slate.

A place to heal.

Jack lets out a heavy sigh and rubs at his temples, jostling his sunglasses. A kid runs behind him and bumps into the back of his legs.

“Sorry mister!” The kid keeps on running, blonde hair bright and spiky.

Jack turns his gaze back to the expanse of ocean before him. He can see the outer ring of the island, another fifteen minutes ahead. Long stretches of beach and cliffs, a few misshapen structures he assumes to be buildings.

He pulls his cellphone from the pocket of his jeans and checks to see if he has a signal yet.

Still nothing.

He sighs and taps the screen. Hopefully he can get one once he’s on the island. Then he can find the place he’ll be living in for the foreseeable future.

He’ll also need to call his mom and let her know the ferry didn’t capsize and send him to a watery grave; an ironic thought, considering all the horrible things that could have killed him over the last few years.

“ _ Please return to your vehicles. We will be docking in ten minutes. _ ”

The loud speaker crackles with age and the voice on the other end sounds like this is the last thing he wants to be doing today.

Jack pushes away from the railing and meanders back to his bike, throwing a leg over and settling in for the docking process.

He can see the island ferry port the closer they drift. A beach stretches on the far right hand side, past sail boats and a boardwalk filled with booths and too much junk food. People are on the beach despite the sort of overcast day. There are umbrellas and floaties, surfers out in the waves, children building sandcastles.

The boardwalk large and just beyond it is a main street lined with shops and stores perfect for the tourists visiting the island.

Jack’s chest expands with excitement; this is going to be his new home.

The ferry bumps and grinds against the edge of the docks. Metal screeching against wood as the driver steers them into the little niche.

He pulls his helmet over his head and starts up his bike as one of the guides begins allowing cars to drive off the ferry.

The main street, an old, sun-bleached wooden sign reads ‘Highland’, is wide and made of weathered brick. Most of the parking is streetside parallel and he pulls over into an empty spot to check his phone and call his friend.

This time his phone has a signal and he waits a few moments for his messages and phone calls to catch up. A few pings later, he has quick directions from the ferry to his new apartment.

It’s off the main road, past a local grocery store and a bakery that smells heavenly. Just beyond is a tiny mechanics shop with a half-broken sign that prclaims ‘McCree’s Paint and Body’. But his destination is on the left before that, a red brick building with one window and chipped golden letters.

**Wilhelm Gym**

Jack parks on the road and dismounts, nerves flaring to life inside his belly. His fingers tighten over the helmet as he sets it on his hip and opens the single glass door with the gym hours stuck to the front in plastic.

A bell jingles above his head. The room smells like lemon and sweat. Various equipment is spread out across the floor, along with an entire wall of mirrors on the left, a small reception area on his right and a boxing ring near the rear.

He spots a familiar large frame at the edge of the ring where two young boys are having it out on the mat.

Reinhardt is an old friend. A superior officer from Jack’s first tour in Afghanistan. One who retired as soon as he was able and who called the second he heard Jack was stateside again, offering a place to escape if he was eager to detach.

Rein turns to him as the bell finishes its chime and the door sucks shut behind him.

A wide grin breaks across an old, lined face and he spreads his arms, “Morrison!”

Jack manages a weak, tired smile, “Hey, Rein.”

The big man walks across the gym in ten strides and gathers Jack up in a bone crushing hug that squeezes the air right out of his lungs.

He laughs and pats Rein on the back.

“No trouble getting here?” Rein sets him back down, big palms resting on his shoulders, “The island is breathtaking, yes?”

“Better than I imagined.” Jack admits, “But a long way to travel.”

“Indeed.” Rein agrees with a pat. He digs into the pocket of the sweat pants he’s wearing and reveals a single golden key, “You’ll be staying above the gym.”

Jack frowns, “You don’t live here?”

“Not anymore.” Rein smiles, “When I heard you were coming, I moved in with my lady.” He winks and points to a red door to the left of the boxing ring, “Through that door. A set of stairs will bring you to the apartment. You may also enter the hallway from the back of the building and there will be a place to park your bike.”

Jack swallows thickly, “Rein - I can’t thank you enough for this.” He holds tight to the key, “I have some money saved up -.”

Rein shakes his head and holds up a hand, “Save your money to settle in. When you get a job, then we will talk rent, my friend.” He waves to the door, “Go rest.”

Jack nods stiffly and makes his way across the gym. A few people working out wave at him and return to their sets.

The hallway is cool and four doors and a stairwell greet him. Two have bathroom signs, another Rein’s name and office hours, and the other is metal and Jack assumes that is the door to the back of the building.

He takes the stairs carefully and comes to a short hallway with one door.

The air conditioner is already buzzing when he enters, chasing out the humid beach heat from outside.

It’s not big or extravagant.

There’s a small U shaped kitchen in a doorway to his left, a fridge, a microwave and a stove. A living room stretches out with one old sofa, an entertainment center with a tiny TV, and a window overlooking the street and a stretch of water beyond a treeline.

The bathroom is small and right across the hall from the single bedroom.

Jack drops his backpack on the floor at the foot of a queen sized bed and face plants the sheetless mattress.

It’s perfect.

  
  
  


-

 

“Reap. I don’t know what you’re doing but you shouldn’t be doing it.” Gabriel snaps from where he stands in front of his bathroom mirror, trimming his beard.

There’s a clatter and a clunk and Gabe’s eyes dart skyward with a sigh.

He washes his razor under the rush of warm water and drops it in the cup on the left side of the faucet. After he’s splashed away the stray shaving cream and hair, he blots his face with a towel and makes his way in the direction of the noise.

He takes the stairs down to the first floor of his house and spots a broken pot in the sink under the kitchen windowsill.

“Goddamnit, Reap.” He hisses, barefeet striding across the tile floor as he drags the trashcan over and starts scooping out broken pot and soil and his green onions.

A soft, sassy meow rumbles at his feet and he glances down at the long-haired black persian with a scowl, “You’re a menace.”

A white-tipped tail flicks against his bare calf as she saunters out of the kitchen and into the living room.

“I’m going to get rid of you!” He shouts.

It’s a lie.

He’s had that damn cat since she was a kitten. Getting rid of her would be akin to ripping out a section of his soul.

“Get a familiar, Ana says. It’ll be fun, she says.” Gabriel grumbles as he rises the sink out with the sprayer and returns the trashcan to its rightful place.

Reap is curled up on the recliner when he walks into the living room later, tugging his dark blue work shirt over his head. He fixes the collar and makes sure his pants don’t have any lingering cat hairs on the dark material.

He points at her as he opens the front door, “Don’t break anymore of my shit.” And locks up before heading to his car.

He takes the scenic route to work, which includes driving down past Jesse’s place and Rein’s gym. For two seconds at the red light, he debates dropping into Lucio’s bakery and grabbing a carton of doughnuts for the crew, but when he checks the clock on his dash, he’s already late enough.

Gabe pulls through the light and continues on.

There’s a motorcycle he doesn’t recognize parked outside the gym. Glossy red and blue paint, a cruiser, Indiana plates.

A tourist at the gym is unusual, considering the hotels on the island took care of keeping the busy folk out of the local hangouts.

Gabe frowns and finishes the drive to the aquarium.

The parking lot is already full for 10 in the morning and quite a few people are already standing in line at the double glass front doors.

The aquarium is an impressive building, with a glass dome top and huge concrete walls hand painted to reflect the ocean life inside. They expanded the parking lot two years ago to help with the increase in tourists. Gabe is silently thankful they also added a private parking section for the employees otherwise he’d have to walk to work every damn day.

The back of the building is cool and smells like water as he enters. The rehabilitation area is the first place he goes.

Angela is hovering over a tank full of sting rays, most of them missing chunks of fin or tail. Her mouth is set in a grim line.

“Everything okay?” Gabe asks, pausing before he passes the tanks.

She sighs and casts him a sad look, “We lost two last night. The damage was just too extensive.”

“Damn.” Gabe looks down into the tank. One of the rays flaps above the water and dives back down.

“Can’t save them all.” Angela mutters, “Just a damn shame people want to  _ eat _ them in the first place.”

“Humans don’t respect things they can’t comprehend.” Gabe supplies, “They don’t realize the impact on the ocean. They just take what they want.”

Angela scoffs, “Typical.”

Gabe pats her on the shoulder, “Let’s get these guys integrated and stable and see how many we can get back out there.”

She nods and flashes him a smile.

He gives another pat and wanders off to his section of the offices.

His space is tiny, little more than a desk and laptop, a few shelves with important books and papers, and a little silver fridge. His window looks into a tank of water and a slim shark passes with a swift flick of its tail.

There’s a folder on his desk when he rounds the edge.

He flips it open and sinks into his chair to read it over. It’s release papers for three of his sharks, two having been here after bad hunting accidents and one whose gills didn’t work properly.

His throat tightens at the thought of dropping them back into the ocean, but he picks up the pen and signs the documents anyway. He can’t keep them here forever, not unless they are unable to survive on their own in the wild.

A knock on the wood of his door startles him out of his reviere.

Ana is leaning in the doorframe, dressed in the aquarium uniform too. Amari is stitched in white over her left breast, same as where Reyes is on his own.

“They want us to do two dems today and four on friday.”

“ _ Four _ ?” Gabriel asks incredulously, “They don’t need to feed  _ four _ times.”

“More like they want to engage the public more often and get a few extra shows out of it. Guess the other exhibits aren’t as exciting as ours.”

“They’re just as fucking important.” Gabe snaps, clutching the release papers in his left hand, “We didn’t open this place to cater to how the  _ public _ wants to see the animals.”

Ana shrugs a shoulder, “Not my decision, Gabe.”

Gabe shakes his head and follows her out of his office, locking it up behind him. Together they walk the long halls of the back area. Past tanks of sea turtles and various fish and sea life. They greet other workers along the way to the shark exhibit.

A few guests ask them how to get to certain sections of the aquarium and Ana helps them with a happy smile. Gabe tends to ignore the public unless he’s doing a demonstration. Which is what they’re going to be  _ late _ for if people don’t stop side tracking them.

“You’re a grouch this morning.” Ana observes as they reach the shark tank and climb the steps to the gear room.

“Reap broke another planter.” Gabe grumbles, shedding the layers of his uniform in favor of the slick scuba suit he’ll wear in the tank, “I’m going to have to repot all of my herbs at this rate.”

“It’s a plant.” Ana deadpans, “Why does that have your panties in a twist?”

“She’s getting restless.” Gabe sighs, “Dunno why.” He pulls the oxygen tank on last and Ana helps him situate it.

“Perhaps she senses something changing.”

Gabe frowns, “Nothing is changing.”

She taps the pressure valve on the tank, “You don’t know that until after it’s changed. Cats are intinutive, Gabriel.”

Gabe flops over to the edge of the catwalk that looms above the rippling water, “Thing is, Ana, I’m not really the type of guy to change anything.”

He likes his routines. He likes his quiet cottage near the rocky tide pools and his quiet magic and his tiny office with his marine biologist degree hanging on the wall. He likes his job and a good stack of pancakes on a sunday morning.

He doesn’t like change.

And he sure as hell isn’t going to welcome it just because his crazy ass cat says so.

  
  
  


-

  
  
  
  


The first week passes uneventfully for Jack.

He buys some sheets and a comforter for his bed and visits the little grocery store to fill up his fridge and cabinets. Rein offers to hook up some cable for him and Jack agrees, pretty bored with only having his phone for company.

By the time Friday rolls around, he’s going stir crazy inside his apartment and decides to finally give in and build a new routine.

He wakes up an hour before dawn and digs out his running shoes and gear from the depths of a box he still hasn’t unpacked. Old habits die hard when you get shipped all over the world.

He takes a run down the road and finds a path to the beach. It’s deserted for the early morning hour, just a few stray boats pulling out of port for the morning catch. The boardwalk workers are opening their stalls in the distance, a lifeguard is pushing up his post.

The sand is rough on his thighs and calves, but he powers through the run, clocking at over an hour by the time he finds his way back to the original path.

The horizon is turning pink with the sunrise as he jogs to the apartment, slipping in through the back door.

He takes a shower, scrambles a few eggs and eats them from the pan as he stares out the window. Down the road, he can see a man opening the bay doors of the mechanic shop. He then decides he’s going to drop his girl off for some much needed TLC.

When Jack gets there, a man behind the counter is on the phone. Hair a bright shade of green and there’s a pen behind his ear and one in his hand as he scribbles on a neon pink sticky note tablet. He’s speaking in rapid fire japanese and Jack can sort of make out that the crackling voice on the other end is speaking the same.

Brown eyes rise as he holds up a finger.

Jack just nods and loiters in the tiny waiting room. There are four chairs and a stack of magazines on a worn coffee table. A fresh pot of coffee and a stack of styrofoam cups sits on the counter.

The man hangs up the phone, “Apologies.” He begins in a heavy accent, “My name is Genji, welcome to McCree’s, what can we help you with?”

Jack lifts his motorcycle keys, “Just looking for an oil change and tune up. She’s been on a long journey.”

“Alright -.”

“Hey - sugar - do we have any -.” A man with shaggy brown hair and a full on grizzled beard steps through the side door of the shop, “Well, howdy, names Jesse.”

Jack clears his throat, “Jack.”

“We do not.” Genji sniffs irritably at the rugged man, “You took the last one and didn’t tell me to order more.”

“Aw don’t be like that, darlin’.” Jesse grins at Genji for a second before turning that thousand watt smile on Jack, “Alright. What’s this fella need?”

“Motorcycle basics.” Genji replies, “Also. Hanzo says hi.”

“It’ll take a while for the tune up.” The man looks at Jack, “Got two other cars I gotta finish this morning.”

Jack waves a hand, “I don’t have anywhere to be anytime soon.”

“Vacation?” Jesse asks.

Jack shakes his head, “I’m here to stay.” At least, he thinks he’s here to stay.

“A newcomer?” Jesse’s eyebrows rise, “Ain’t had one of you in a hot minute, where you from?”

“Indiana.” Jack supplies.

Jesse sticks out a hand, “Welcome to the island, Jack.” Their hands fall apart and the man taps the counter in front of Genji, “Give him the island discount.”

“He just got here.” Genji rolls his eyes playfully.

“And I doubt he’ll be leavin’ once he gets a taste.” Jesse winks, “I’ll have your girl up and ready in a couple of hours. Leave Genji your number.”

Jack nods and takes a pen from a cup on the counter and scribbles his name and number down on one on of Genji’s pink notepads, “There anything to do while I wait? Kinda getting sick of the inside of my place.”

“I suggest the beach.” Genji perks up.

“Naw!” Jesse pinches Genji’s arm, “The Aquarium is up the main road. The bus drops past here, catch it and the last stop is there. I highly recommend it.”

“An aquarium?” Jack inclines his head, “A little unusual for an island this small.”

“It’s a rehabilitation center.” Genji provides helpfully, “It focuses on rescue and release.”

Now  _ that’s _ interesting.

“I think I’ll do that.” Jack nods, pushing the keys over the counter towards Jesse, “Thanks, I’ll be back later.”

He leaves the shop and finds the bench for the local bus stop easily enough. It takes about ten minutes before one pulls in and asks for a three dollar day fare. Jack pulls the wrinkled dollar bills from his wallet and takes the ticket when it pops out of the top.

The ride isn’t long.

He passes up the multitude of shops and restaurants along the main road, two beachside hotels, and a bed and breakfast bracketed by huge oak trees.

Across from it all, nestled near an empty stretch of beach, lies the aquarium.

It was more impressive than Jack imagined for an island as small as this one. The glass dome gleams and the parking lot full of cars reflect`` the sun.

The bus driver announces the final stop and Jack follows a gaggle of hat-wearing tourists off the bus.

He waits in line to buy tickets, plucking at his shirt as the heat of the day gets to him. A few kids are complaining in front of him, both holding spray fans and red snow cones. The parents look too tired and too sunburnt to be doing anything more than dragging their feet behind the energetic youngsters.

Jack pays the fifteen dollar fee for the day and puts a hand out for the bright purple stingray stamp.

“Enjoy the aquarium!” The attendant chirps.

Jack steps into the chilly entrance and breathes in the smell of water and salt and fish. There are kids everywhere, hovering over a tiny ‘tide pool’ exhibit or pressing their noses up against a cylinder tank of tropical fish that probably don’t thrive this far north.

There are attendants in blue shirts all over the wide, tile-floored room. Doors and stairs lead to extravagant exhibit areas. Deep Ocean, Sharks, Giant Sea Turtles, and so many more than Jack expected there to be from the outside.

“Hi!” A thin girl with pink-highlighted hair walks over, a thousand different fish pins on her work shirt and holding a stack of pamphlets, “I’m Hana, would you like a map of the aquarium?”

Jack takes what she hands him with a half-smile, “Yea. Thanks.”

She smiles, “Of course! There is also a daily list of demonstrations and speeches on the back. I highly recommend the shark demonstration and the ‘How to save the sea turtles’ show!”

“Thanks, Hana.” Jack points the pamphlet at her, “You from the island?”

“Not originally.” She hands a passerby a set of maps, “I moved about six years ago? Been here ever since. Vacation?”

Jack shakes his head, “I just moved here myself.”

Her eyes widen slowly and she leans forward, “Are you Jack?” She whispers.

He blinks, “Uh. Yea?”

She brightens considerably, “Rein mentioned a friend named Jack would be moving here. Welcome to the island!”

He rubs the back of his head, “Thanks.”

“Anytime.” She sends him a wave, “Hope you settle in fast. Enjoy!”

Jack watches a crowd of school children swallow her whole as they ask for maps and how she colored her hair.

He makes his way to the sea turtle exhibit, glancing at the show times and mentally marking places on the map.

The sea turtle show is enlightening. Eye-opening as well.

Jack watches a very enthusiastic women explain the dangers of pollution and waste in the oceans. The staggering amount of turtles brought in to surgically remove plastic and oil and fishing lines sends Jack’s head reeling. Four massive turtles float past the giant glass tank behind her as she explains how to keep the sea turtle, and its various subspecies, safe from human garbage.

It lasts a little less than an hour and then he’s off to a different section of the building.

He visits the jellyfish exhibit and a tide pool section where you could observe but not touch. It’s a rainbow of color and fish beneath the clear water and Jack feels as though he could stare into it all day and never tire.

He gets a bite to eat in the cafeteria around one, checks his phone to see if Jesse is done with his bike.

By two, he’s seen most of the aquarium and all that’s left is the shark feeding demonstration.

Jack follows the signs and only has to stop and ask for directions once. By the time he reaches the room, it’s already bustling with people and the chatter is loud. He finds a little unoccupied corner with a semi-unobstructed view of the shark tank just as the lights begin to dim.

An older woman with dark, greying hair steps in front of the tank wearing a headset and the aquarium uniform. She greets the crowd, who parrot back her greeting and wiggle in their seats.

“Welcome to the world of sharks, my name is Ana.” Her accent is clipped, but there’s a warmth in her tone and face that reminds Jack of his mother, “Today, we are going to educate you in the handling, care, and appetite of the modern day shark.” She raises a hand, “Can anyone tell me how many species of shark are currently recorded?”

A few hands go up and the woman points each one out.

“1000!”

“200!”

“800!”

Ana just smiles as though she gets these answers on a regular basis. Which Jack supposes she does, “There are 440 known shark species today.”

A few ‘so close’ groans go up around the room.

“There are a handful that have gone extinct since humans began to hunt.” She continues, “Many have been put on menus, used as handbag material, or captured for whatever rare chemical their bodies produce naturally.” She waves a hand at the tank, “Here, we have 20 species of sharks that come and go from our own island waters.”

Jack’s eyebrows go up.

“Do they come to the beach?” A little girl in the front asks.

“Rarely.” Ana confirms, “During certain seasons, the water near the beach is either too cold or too hot for them to comfortably skirt. They are usually out in deeper waters and only come to the shore if they’re injured or sick.”

“Like dolphins!”

“Or whales!”

Ana nods, “Most creatures in the ocean float when they are sick or injured. Which ensures the current pushes them to the nearest solid surface so they may either recover quicker or die.”

Another hand goes up and Ana points, “Do you have any new sharks?”

“Not recently.” She smiles, “But you will be seeing the feeding of three males who will be returned to the ocean early tomorrow morning.”

A whole lot of whispers circulate the room.

Jack wonders if the woman will be doing the feeding.

“Will you be feeding them?” A man asks on Jack’s left.

Ana laughs, “I rarely get in the tank.” She motions towards the ceiling, “Our local marine biologist will be entering the tank to show off the sharks before feeding time.” She takes a half step to the side, “Once the demonstration is done, Dr. Reyes will come out and answer any further questions you may have about our sharks. Enjoy.”

A cascade of bubbles erupt in the center of the tank, scattering fish and sharks alike. Some of the crowd gasps and others cheer. A few of them look like repeat watchers.

A man in a scuba suit dives down towards the part of the tank where the crowd awaits. He waves to the kids chirping in the front row and turns to rub a hand down the length of a hammerhead.

“This here is our smooth hammerhead.” A voice sweet as the honey his momma used to put on his biscuits crackles to life over the speakers, “We have three others like him in the tank, but he -.” A finger points to the tag on a dorsal fin, “Is fully recovered and ready to be returned to the ocean.” The shark glides past without so much as a backwards glance. “The gills on his left side were ruined at birth. The trauma was so extensive we spent three weeks teaching him to breath on his own.”

Dr. Reyes continues with two other sharks for over an hour. Swimming from one end of the tank to the other, petting and bumping heads and showing off as many sharks as time allows.

Jack hangs on every word.

Then comes the questions and the wet sound of footsteps coming from behind a curtain to the left.

Dr. Reyes pulls off a set of goggles and yanks the slick suit off his head.

Jack swallows.

Dr. Reyes is all rounded lines and a well-trimmed beard. His eyes are sharp, even from the great distance between the stage and Jack. His hair is a little messed up from the scuba suit, curly and sticking up on the top and shaved around the sides.

“Any questions?” Reyes asks.

A whole slew of hands fly up.

Jack stays behind for every single question, even the annoying, pointless ones. 

Dr. Reyes eventually slips through the curtain again with a promise to feed the sharks.

It’s a little weird to see a bunch of humans cheering on the messy, bloody process of a shark feeding, but Jack is riveted by the practiced ease Reyes maintains throughout the process.

His phone vibrates to life as he’s following the rest of the crowd out of the demonstration room.

It’s the mechanic shop.

Jack casts one last look at the shark exhibit and makes a note to come back another day.

  
  


-

  
  


Gabe is standing under the glorious hot spray of his shower when he hears the crash of pottery once again.

He closes his eyes and inhales the herbs hanging from the shower head, blindly hoping they’ll calm his nerves before he has to go clean up more dirt and broken ceramic.

Reaper’s meow cuts through the thunderous sound of running water and for a split, panic of a second, Gabe wonders if she hurt herself. So he cuts the shower and towels off quickly.

She isn’t injured, much to his irritation, but is standing proudly, tail curled around her body to the right of the sink. Another broken pot lies in the center, this time it’s the root he was growing for a sleeping elixir.

“Goddamnit, Reap.” He hisses, reaching into the sink to pull out broken orange pottery and scooping out dirt and ruined root.

She meows softly and rubs her head against his bicep. It’s both endearing and irritating and he sighs, casting her a frustrated look, “What is up with you lately?”

She turns her head to the window.

The ocean waves crash a few hundred feet out, a cliff and rocky ledge tower to the left and the stretch of beach to the right. His small, bricked patio and herb garden are covered in a thin, dark layer of morning rain.

Her eyes stare out at the water as it rolls and breaks on the shoreline.

“You’re acting weird.” He rubs a dirty hand behind her ears.

She purrs and hops off the counter.

Gabe watches her disappear around the corner into the living room and turns his gaze back to the view from his kitchen window.

The beach is silent and beautiful in the early morning. His beaten grass path sways with what he assumes is going to be a chilly wind.

“Storms rolling in.” He mutters to himself as he finishes the clean up in his sink.

He spends the rest of his morning repotting the plant and getting ready for another day at his job. It’s release day, but he wonders if they’ll postpone it due to the incoming weather.

“It’ll be fine.” The release head waves impatiently at Gabriel.

“There’s a storm on the horizon.” Gabe warns, “Rough water isn’t exactly fun to sail on.”

“And I said we have state-of-the-art weather tracking systems on our boats and it’s nothing big enough to cancel one of the biggest shark releases in months.”

Gabe scowls, “I’ve spent the better part of six months getting these boys ready for the ocean again, you’re not ruining that work for a TV spot on Animal Planet.”

The man shoves a finger into Gabe’s chest, eyes narrowed and mustache too bushy for his face, “Your only job is to get them ready  _ for _ release.”

Gabe takes a step forward and moves the hand back, it falters just a hair as he towers over the man, “My job is to ensure these creatures are returned to their natural habitats in better condition than when they left it.” He wraps a hand around a thick wrist and wrenches the finger from his person, “You injure my sharks and I’ll make sure you never run another release for the rest of your career.”

The man scoffs and slaps Gabe’s hand away.

“Whose idea was it to hire a TV crew to handle our releases?” Ana’s voice is derisive and snide as the man wobbles out of the room.

Gabe’s face twists into a grimace, “Apparently, it brings in good publicity and tourism for the island.” He puts air quotes around ‘publicity’, “Not that we need it.”

Ana pats his shoulder, “We’ve always done good on word of mouth alone, but you have to admit, we were struggling before Hanzo took over.”

Struggling was an understatement, Gabe thinks wryly. They had been drowning, equipment failing left and right, no guests and no donations. Gabe had no reputation outside of his college and the little island he grew up on.

Then Jesse stumbled back to the island with two brothers and a business plan that single handedly saved their aquarium.

And while Gabe didn’t always agree with the way Hanzo ran things, he couldn’t deny the good it had done. The influx of people, the new laboratories and connections outside of the island. In over a year, outside aquariums were sending  _ them _ animals to rehabilitate.

“Remind me to tell Hanzo to fire that one, though.” Gabe elbows her.

Ana tosses her head back with a laugh, “I’ll make a memo, shall I?” She slips out of the room and Gabe follows.

“I can’t believe Hanzo wants us to run four shows on Friday’s now.” Gabe grumbles.

Ana sends him a look over her shoulder, “Did he not tell you?”

Gabe frowns, “Tell me what?”

“He’s giving you weekends off.”

Gabe falters in his steps and Ana pauses to look back at him, “Why?”

Ana’s brow creases, “Because you’ve been running yourself ragged for over a year? You haven’t taken a break? I’m perfectly capable of running the shark show while you relax.” She waves a hand, “Plus, it’ll give you some more time to reconnect with the sea.”

Gabe makes a face, “My connection is just fine.”

She throws a curious look over her shoulder, “If you say so.”

He watches her disappear around the corner and stands in the cool, concrete hallway leading to their demonstration area.

There’s nothing wrong with his  _ connection _ . He lives right near the water. He spends all day with the creatures he’s rescued  _ from _ the water. There’s nothing wrong with his goddamn connection to the -

“Oh. Reyes.”

Gabe turns to the familiar voice of Hanzo Shimada.

“Just the man I wanted to see.” Gabe clears his throat.

“I had a feeling.” Hanzo hums, hands stuffed in the pockets of his black slacks. He’s dressed down today. No suit. Just a button up pale blue shirt and his slacks, “Rogers ran into to me and lodged a complaint against you.”

Gabe raises an eyebrow, “You mean about the weather?”

Hanzo nods once, “I ignored him of course. I trust your instincts, Gabriel. Should you not want the sharks released today, we can wait.”

Gabe sighs and rubs a hand through his hair, “It’s not just the sharks, Hanzo. If the storm gets bad and they’re all out on that ship?”

“I understand.” Hanzo mutters, “They value the publicity over lives, despite the fact that none of them did the healing.”

“I don’t need to be on TV.” Gabe snorts, “I do my job and I enjoy what I do. All this fanfare isn’t my game.”

“Which is why I hired a release crew.” Hanzo looks contemplative for a moment, “They all have degrees and experience enough to run these releases, except -.”

“They’re riding the exposure high, yea.” Gabe says, “I get it.”

Hanzo sets a hand on his shoulder, “Would you like to join them?”

“On the boat? No.” Gabe says.

Hanzo’s mouth twitches at the corner, “Then do what you see fit.”

  
  
  


-

  
  
  


Jack should be looking for a job.

It’s at the top of his priority list now that Rein has him fully stocked and moved in. He rolls out of bed every morning and runs the beach, meets the locals, grabs a coffee and muffin from Lucio’s bakery next to the gym.

The problem is that he’s been in the army since he left high school. He doesn’t have any real-world skills to use. Whatever he did, he’d have to start from the bottom, from scratch and the thought alone is terrifying.

To go from an order based, straight-forward job system to civilian life is just as daunting as they warned.

So instead of branching out and seeing who’s hiring, he finds his way back to the aquarium.

He takes his bike this time and locks his helmet in the storage compartment.

There’s already a line leading out the front door and Jack grimaces at the thought of standing around in the scorching heat.

His beach runs in the morning are cool and crisp, but by about mid-day, the island is sweltering. Which he supposes is good for beach business. 

When he steps through the doors to buy his tickets, Hana is behind the counter.

She smiles when she sees him, “Second time in one week.”

“It’s nice here.” Jack pulls out his wallet, “Nice place to decompress after a big move.”

“Oh yea.” She puts her elbow on the counter, “But if you’re going to be here awhile, you may want to buy the yearly pass.” One of her fingers points to the price board above her head, “All the locals get one.”

Jack peers up at the prices and inwardly winces. He really doesn’t need to spend that kind of money. He doesn’t have a job. Or any way to make up that chunk of change.

Except he thinks about the Shark show and the beautiful man who runs it and wonders if it will seem creepy that he’s only here again to see it.

“Yea.” He clears his throat, “Okay.”

She smiles and leans forward, “I’m going to give you the island discount though.” She rings him up and it’s considerably cheaper than the sign, “It’s great to have a new face on the island, Jack.”

“It’s nice to be welcomed.” Jack steps away with his plastic pass and heads for the demonstration area.

Home had been a stifling welcome and as wonderful as it was to be there and see his parents again, they didn’t know how to handle him.

His father sidestepped when they talked. His mom kept looking at him like he was going to break.

And he did. Often. In the comfort of his childhood bedroom.

His friends were the worst though. Most of them wanted to hear what he had done, who he fought, did he shoot anyone.

They don’t teach you how to handle the questions during your last psych eval. They just ask you generic questions and hope you’re not too fucked up so they don’t have to pay anything once you’re discharged.

Jack is lucky enough to get to the last demonstration of the day just in time to snag a seat in the front. He settles down with the information packet and map and watches the sharks and turtles float around in the tank.

It’s calming.

Centering.

Jack could fall asleep in this space. The hum of a filter and the smell of water and whatever they use to clean the floors.

He wonders if it would be nightmare free.

“Oh.” A woman comes around the corner, Ana, he remembers, “Early bird.”

Jack throws up a sheepish smile, “Sorry. I had to stand in the back last time and I wanted a front row view.”

She laughs and takes a seat at the edge of the stage, “You must be Jack.”

“Guilty.” He says, “Word travels fast when a new person moves in.”

“It does indeed.” She tilts her head, “But I heard from Reinhardt. He does live with me after all.”

Oh.

Jack blinks, “You’re Ana.”

“I am.” She grins, “Rein’s told me quite a bit about you, Jack.”

_ Not too much _ , Jack hopes.

“Don’t look so nervous.” Her laugh is beautiful and full, “All good things. Said he’s never had a soldier quite like you before.”

Jack rubs the back of his neck, “I wasn’t perfect.”

“None of us are, dear.” She pats the wood of the stage, “You enjoy the show now. I’ll remind Rein to invite you over for dinner one night.”

“I’d like that.” Jack’s smiles.

  
  
  


-

  
  
  


Gabe’s had repeat faces in the crowd before. The aquarium is a popular destination on the island and most families set aside two days out of their vacation to take in what they offer.

But twice in one week?

He scans the crowd and spots a familiar shock of blonde hair. This time on the front row.

Tight red t-shirt and faded blue jeans. He looks tired, a little worn thin, but it’s been a handful of days since he saw this man last. And he’d been standing at the back of the room.

But on a friday? Alone?

He wonders faintly if this is the mysterious newcomer everyone’s been whispering about, but he hasn’t stopped long enough to listen. Ana’s mentioned it. Lucio too.

But never a name.

Never a face.

_ He’s gorgeous, of course _ , Gabe thinks wryly as he drones on about the same shit he’s repeated since 10 am.

He’s young too, probably his own age, but there’s a tense line to his shoulders and a specific way he sits that strikes Gabe as ‘military’. He’s seen enough of them around the island during weekends to spot the type.

The blonde stays through the entire presentation. Through the numerous questions, never asking one himself, to the feeding and long after everyone starts filtering out of the room.

He’s still there when Gabe is getting ready to leave after the last show.

Blue eyes watch the fish swim round and round, hands clasped between his knees.

Gabe wonders why he’s here on their little island in the middle of the sea.

The alarm on his watch beeps twice and he fumbles and backs away to head to his car for the drive home.

Reap is laid out in the setting sun on his kitchen floor when he steps into the house. Her ears go up and blue eyes stare over at him as he drops his shoes by the door and goes to the fridge for some water.

She rolls over onto her back when he passes and he rubs a socked foot over her belly, “I’m going to the shore for a while. Don’t wait up.”

A meow is the reply.

He sheds his socks before he gets to the back door and tosses them into the laundry hamper near the washing machine. He doesn’t bother locking the door behind him when he steps out onto the back patio.

The wind isn’t as strong as earlier in the day and there are few clouds in the sky as the sun makes it decent over the horizon.

Gabe takes his time strolling to the beach.

He picks up a few shells and debates taking Fareeha’s sailboat out in the morning, now that he has the weekend free apparently.

By the time he finally reaches the edge of the shore, the sky is dark and the moon is peeking behind thick clouds.

He bends down to roll his pants legs up mid-calf, squeezing the sand between his toes and taking in the salty air.

The water is cool when he steps into the surf. A small wave licks at his ankles and he realizes it’s been weeks since he’s been here.

He  _ did _ need to reconnect.

  
  


-

  
  
  


Jack took up night jogging simply because he was too bored to fall asleep. So he decided the best way to exhaust himself to the point of sleep, was to run a few miles along the beach and hope his body shuts down after a hot shower.

Most of the evenings are uneventful. A few teenagers sneaking into the waves or attempting to skinny dip before a cop shouts them out of the water.

He doesn’t expect tonight to be any different.

Except when he gets to the end of the beach where cliff met sand, there’s a fully dressed man standing knee deep in the ocean.

Jack slows to a halt, tennis shoes sinking into the sand now that there’s no traction.

The man’s pants are soaked up the curve of his butt and long fingers brush the waves as they crash against his legs. He’s outlined by the moon, skin shining and face turned to the night sky. It’s beautiful and breathtaking and Jack realizes he probably looks like a weirdo staring at this dude.

Should he make himself known? What was the purpose of this strange, nighttime wade in the sea?

Jack watches for a moment longer.

There’s only the sounds of the ocean and the heavy thump of his heartbeat.

It’s as peaceful as sitting in front of the tanks full of fish.

Just another place Jack wishes he could fall asleep in.

He doubles back to his apartment and the man in the water is never the wiser to his jogging visitor.

Jack pushes through the back door of the gym just as Reinhardt is locking up his office.

“Jack.” Rein’s smile is warm, “Evening jog?”

“Uh, yea.” Jack clears his throat, “Question, though.”

Rein slaps his shoulder and sends him jostling, “Lay it on me, boy.”

“Is it usual for people to just be - standing in the water in their clothes around here?”

Rein is silent for a moment, before throwing his head back with a hearty, body shaking laugh. Jack manages a shaky one along with him.

“Looks like you stumbled upon a witch this fine evening.” Rein waves out a hand dramatically.

“A witch.” Jack doesn’t believe that for a second.

“Indeed, my friend.” Rein grins, “Nothing so fancy as those on TV, but a witch nonetheless.” He begins his walk to the front of the gym to lock the rest of the place up, “There’s even a shop on the main street for tourists to browse. Coalescence. Moira is an upstanding witch and head of the local coven. Shop smells like heaven too.” He waves a jolly hand, “I suggest you pay her and her wife Angela a visit and have a cup of tea.”

“I’ll do that.” Jack waves back and heads up to his room.

He takes a shower and then lays out in the middle of his bed. The moon pours through his curtains and it reminds him of the man in the water. Outlined in white light and looking every bit a mystic being.

Jack falls asleep wondering if the universe is trying to tell him something.

  
  


-

  
  


Gabriel is fresh out of the shower and ready for his first weekend off in over a year when Reap breaks yet another potted plant above his windowsill.

He’s coming around the corner just as he spots her fluffy ass tail wrap around the bottom of his healing herbs in an attempt to dump it into the sink.

“You little devil!” He hisses, rushing across the room in a last ditch effort to catch the pot before it shattered.

No such luck.

He hangs his hands over the lip of the sink and bemoans repotting yet  _ another _ plant.

Reaper meows sharply, high pitched and distressed. She swipes at his head and a claw catches him on his eyebrow, “Hey!”

She chirps again.

When Gabe finally looks up from his destroyed plant, her tail is flicking restlessly at the window above his sink.

He squints through it and straightens fast, heart flipping in a way it really shouldn’t at the sight of the blonde from his show.

Gabe is pretty sure it’s the newcomer this time. No one runs their beach when they’re on vacation.

He watches that big body jog over the sand, headphones in his ears and dressed in muted reds and whites. Definitely military, judging by the way he runs.

Gabe glances at Reap, “Is this what you’ve been so fussy about?” He waves at the blonde as he hits the cliff and turns around to head back down the beach, “You’ve been breaking all my pots for  _ a man _ ?”

Reap turns her nose into the air and hops off the counter.

“You’re a high matinence little hussy is what you are.” Gabe shouts at her as she rounds the corner, “I am not -  _ not _ taking dating advice from a cat!”

  
  


-

  
  
  
  


Jack feels like he should be embarrassed by how many times he’s been to the aquarium in the last few weeks, but he’s not. At least, not according to his last therapist over the phone, who informed him that a ritual activity that gives him peace of mind is absolutely the best thing to do.

So he continues to visit the shark show twice a week, Mondays after a long weekend of tossing and turning and insomnia, and on Fridays, when the week has stretched him too thin as he tries to find a job.

Most nights, when the gunfire and sandy dreams have him staring up at his ceiling, he just has to think of the shark tank. The sleek bodies moving in and out of view, coral and weed and turtles minding their own business in a glass case. Safe. Secure.

Sometimes he sees a scuba suit. Knows it’s the biologist Dr. Reyes with his unfairly gorgeous face and a voice that could put Jack to sleep easily.

A long shot. An impossible one.

Jack wasn’t even in the same solar system as a man like that.

So he’s content with the dreams. Content with the memories.

Though, he doesn’t hide his disappointment on a Saturday afternoon when he sits through the first shark feature of the day and Reyes is nowhere in sight. Ana is there, giving the presentation while another man gets in the tank with the sharks.

He hovers near the stage afterwards and Ana greets him with a warm smile, “You look a tad bit disappointed, Jack.”

Jack clears his throat, “Different man in the tank today.”

“Indeed.” She grins, “Gabriel is on forced weekends off, compliments of our esteemed owner.”

Gabriel.

_ Gabriel _ .

It’s nice to finally have a name to go with that fantastic face.

“He’s much better at the presentation.” Jack tries to sound casual, like he’s not totally infatuated with man he hasn’t said one word to.

“He’s being doing it a long time.” Ana muses, “But it was long overdue for him to take a break and have a life outside of this place.” She waves a hand at the tank, “He forgets there are still creatures outside of these walls that require his attention.”

Jack squints for a moment at the weird phrasing of words before it hits him, “Oh. Like. His wife? Kids?”

Ana barks out a laugh, “ _ Gabriel _ ? Settle down? That’ll be the day.” She places a hand over her collarbone, still snickering, “But I did mean human beings, yes.”

“Not the social sort, I gather?” Jack asks.

“Plenty social when it matters.” Ana replies, “But lacking a depth in his life.” She eyes Jack for a second, “Maybe he will find it sooner than I anticipated. Have a good afternoon, Jack.”

Jack leaves the room confused and decides to forgo the rest of the aquarium in favor of taking his bike around the island.

The island itself, far from the hustle and bustle of tourist life, is beautiful. There are thick treelines and old houses built to last. Horizon lines and cliffs that show the breathtaking length of the ocean beyond.

Jack stops at one of the ‘overlooks’ and leans on the railing, wrists crossed and enjoying the scent of salt on the wind.

He misses the farm sometimes. Even the city, even his mother and father and friends. There’s a certain type of stability in ‘home’, but he’s come to realize that home is just that. A home. And if it’s empty of the things that should bring you peace and joy, then it’s no home at all.

A month he’s been here. On this little island hidden by the sea.

And he is skirting the edge of peace.

Jack closes his eyes and breathes in deep.

  
  


-

  
  
  


Gabriel is a smart man; he has a degree after all. He’s at the forefront of his career, he’s second in his coven, and is one of the most desired rehabilitation marine life specialists in the world. At his age, that’s damn near impossible unless you break your back and know someone who knows someone.

So yea, he’d like to think he’s a smart man.

“Jack is here again.” Ana notes as she meets him behind the curtain.

“The new guy?” Gabe is checking off his to-do list before he gets in the tank, “Seen him running the beach. Comes here a lot too.”

“His visits have increased since you started working weekends.” Ana mentions, “Bet he has the entire presentation memorized by now.”

Gabe frowns at his clipboard before looking up at her, “Does he go to any of the other exhibits?”

“Sometimes.” She smiles, “He’s quite fond of the sea turtle clean up program.” One of her hands flicks to the curtain, “But he loves your show.”

“You talk for most of it.” Gabe frowns.

“Do I?” She parts the curtain, “Perhaps you should fix that.”

It closes behind her and Gabe continues to frown as it rustles and Ana’s voice picks up on the speaker outside.

He steps up to it and peeks through a slim opening, trying to find that familiar shock of blonde hair in the crowd.

Jack is on the front row again, but he’s not looking at Ana as she introduces herself and engages the crowd in the wonders of their rehabilitation program. No, he’s looking at the tank, the lines of his face relaxed and blue eyes just as radiant as the water within.

Gabe swallows and heads to the stairwell leadingto the top of the tank.

He spots Jack again once he’s in the water and playing with his sharks while Ana introduces them.

That gaze is locked onto him wherever he goes and Gabe should probably feel a little nervous about that, but instead, it’s kinda cute. Jack looks happy, even though there’s no direct smile on his face. He’s just quietly enjoying a show he’s seen upwards of 20 times, just because he likes it and Gabe can admire the man for that.

Is even a little flattered, because he gets bored with having to do the same shit every couple of hours. And unless they have new sharks to show off, he’s pretty much sticking to a script.

One that Jack has no qualms about hearing on the daily, apparently.

He sheds his flippers and goggles as he goes out to meet the crowd and silently hopes that Jack will stay behind as he always does.

He gets that wish, because Jack is the last one to stand up. He scoops up a bike helmet from between his booted feet and heads for the exit.

Gabe takes a steadying breath and with a wink from Ana that he totally ignores, goes to meet Jack halfway to the door.

“Hey. You’re the new guy, right?”

Jack turns sharply, mouth parted in surprise, “Uh.” His voice is as course at the sand on their beaches, “Yea. Yes.” He fumbles to shove the helmet under his arm and puts out a hand, “Jack Morrison. You must be Dr. Reyes.”

Gabe shakes the hand with a chuckle, “Gabriel, but everyone around here calls me Gabe. No need for the Doctor part if you’re going to be sticking around the island.”

Jack’s hand slips back down and curls over the top of the helmet, “Planned it as a permanent move. Reinhardt offered me a place to stay over his gym while I get back on my feet.”

“Good deal.” Gabe nods, “You serve under him?”

“Yea. On my first tour.” Jack shifts in his boots, “I discharged about three months ago. Rein contacted me when he heard I was out and offered a quiet place to recharge.”

Gabe can see that. It took Rein a long while himself to open back up when he returned home.

“Well, we’re glad to have you. You been around the island yet?”

Jack brightens, “Oh yea. I take my bike on the weekends. Jesse’s been keeping her in amazing shape for me.”

“Jesse’s good people.”

They stand there for a moment, kinda awkwardly, while Jack stares at him curiously and Gabe struggles with how unfairly blue the man’s eyes are.

“You come here a lot.” Gabe nearly slaps himself in the face for that.

Jack startles and winces, “I do. Is that a problem?”

Gabe waves a hand frantically, “No. No it’s not. I just - noticed is all. Maybe one day you can come meet some of the sharks personally? If you like them so much?”

“Oh.” Jack chuckles and rubs the back of his neck, “I’m not here for the sharks.”

Oh.  _ Ohhhhh. _

“So it is me you’re here for then.” Gabe allows a smirk to pull at his mouth and Jack’s instant flush is answer enough. And boy does he turn red. Over his nose and down the sides of his neck and Gabe can’t help but wonder how far down that color will spread.

“Sorry if it makes you feel a little weird.” Jack sighs at the ceiling, “Been a while since I really enjoyed watching something and you’re good at what you do.”

“Thanks.” Gabe says, “Wanna get dinner?”

Jack squints at him, “Dinner?”

“Yea. Food. Drink. Conversation.” Gabe rolls his hand at Jack, “Kinda like a tentative date. You’re new here, hottest damn thing I’ve seen in a while, and you like my work? I’m fucking flattered.”

Jack’s laugh starts out small, but once he gets going it’s an experience. Gabe grins along with him.

“Is that a ‘no’?” Gabe asks.

Jack shakes his head, “No, but it is the strangest way I’ve ever been asked out.”

“Glad to be your first.” Gabe winks, “I’m pretty much free on weekends now. So how about tonight? I can get you from Rein’s at around 7.”

“That works.” Jack nods eagerly, takes a hesitant step back, “I’ll see you then.”

Gabe watches him stumble out of the room and disappear into the crowd of vacationers beyond. He can practically feel Ana smirking from her podium on the stage, but he pays it no mind.

He has a date with a hot blonde tonight.

  
  
  


-

  
  
  


Jack spends an ungodly amount of time getting ready for his ‘sort of’ date with Gabriel.

“Maybe this is stupid.” He grunts at his one pair of nice jeans and the only shirt without rips and stains.

He doesn’t even know where Gabe is taking him. Or if this is just a casual date or an actual date or a ‘welcome to the island’ date.

Still, he spends thirty minutes trying to tame the cowlick on the back of his head, with no luck. It still sticks up like a sore thumb even after he’s styled the rest of his hair in an attempt to match it.

He doesn’t look  _ bad _ , but he definitely looks like he came here with only a backpack and a motorcycle. And Gabe seems so put together, so classy, so way out of Jack’s league. So it’s a little bit of a surprise that Gabe even noticed he was always at the show, much less asking him out for  _ dinner _ .

Around 6:45, Jack heads down the stairs and through the gym to wait by the front door. Ana is standing at the front desk, hair unbraided today and grinning across the counter at an equally smiling Reinhardt.

Rein spots him as he gets half-way down the split between boxing and gym equipment.

“Jack! Just in time.”

Jack pauses as he reaches the desk, “Just in time for what?”

Rein waves a hand at Ana, “Ana is making dinner tonight, you should join us.”

Ana shoots Jack a knowing look.

“Crap, Rein. I can’t tonight.” Jack frowns, “I already made plans with -.”

The bell jingles to the front door of the gym and Jack’s eyes swivel in that direction.

Gabriel is - 

Gorgeous is too tame a term.

He’s in black slacks and a button down shirt the color of red wine, hair slicked back and perfectly styled. When he strolls over to them, in shoes nicer than anything Jack’s ever owned in his life, Jack gets a whiff of a woodsy, borderline incense cologne that makes his insides melt.

Jack is seriously underdressed.

He feels too tight in his own skin as Gabriel smiles at him and gives a short wave of the hand towards Rein and Ana, “I’m here for Jack.”

“Are you now?” Both of Rein’s silver eyebrows go up, he leans in towards his wife, “Not what I was expecting.”

Ana shrugs a shoulder, “The universe works in mysterious ways.”

Jack only has eyes and ears for Gabe apparently, because the conversation doesn’t put him off in the slightest.

“Ready?” Gabe asks.

Jack nods and says goodbye to Rein and Ana as he follows Gabe out of the gym and into a cool, windy evening.

Gabe’s car is modest and efficient enough to get them from point A to point B.

Point B being a restaurant on the island that he has been steadfastly ignoring because it looks like it could wipe his bank account in one sitting.

Centered between boardwalk and a hotel that Jack only dreams of being able to stay at, is the islands top vacation destination restaurant. All glass windows, premium fish delivered fresh every day, white tablecloths and napkins and probably requiring a dress code Jack isn’t going to meet in his jeans and black t-shirt.

He follows Gabe to the door, where a waiter brings them to a table with no hassle.

Jack doesn’t quite know where to put his hands, or hell, even his feet. He settles them in his lap and looks down at the different utensils and glasses and plates.

“Pick anything you like.” Gabe smiles as he hands Jack a menu, “It’s on me tonight.”

Jack peruses it for a moment, notices just about everything is seafood related, “You eat fish?”

Gabe looks up from his menu with an amused expression, “Certain ones, yea. Lotta fish out there are plentiful and part of the food chain. Marine life such as sharks, whales, dolphins, and the endangered species aren’t allowed on any menu on the island.”

Jack nods and chooses a simple salmon dinner.

The conversation is stilted and awkward, though. Not at all like the fun banter and casual flirtation at the aquarium.

Jack struggles to hold onto any conversation they have, Gabe seems comfortable enough. His forearms rest at the edge of the table and he talks about the island and the people and that it’s a good place to settle down if you’re pretty much done with mainland life. All things a real estate agent could have told him before he moved here.

The atmosphere makes Jack twitchy and he’s constantly covering his sightlines when Gabe isn’t focused on him.

Too much muted chater. Glasses clinking. Everything is blinding and  _ white _ .

“Were you born here?” Jack asks, trying to ignore the half-eaten fish on his plate.

Gabe polishes off what looks to be a tuna steak and nods, “Yea. Parents died a long time ago and I’ve been on the mainland for college and rehabilitation seminars, but not so much any more. This is home and I’m happy here.”

“So you must know everyone pretty well. Know the island well.” Jack eases forward, “There’s a lot to explore here.”

“Sure is.” Gabe nods thoughtfully, “I’ve seen you running the beach. You ever hit up the boardwalk or the main street?”

Jack shakes his head, “Too many people. Mornings and evenings are pretty empty, so I run during those times.”

“Not a fan of people?” Gabe asks.

“Not a fan of crowds.” Jack knows what can happen in a crowd. If you’re not careful. If you’re not looking.

The waiter brings them their check not too long after and Gabe pays for it. Jack thanks him as they rise from the table and Gabe holds the glass doors open for him.

“Don’t sweat it.” Gabe shakes his head, “You’re barely a month here. Still looking for a job, I assume?”

Jack sighs heavily, “Yea.”

“No use making you waste your saved funds on my expensive tastes.” Gabe winks, “Where to? Home?”

Yea, Jack’s ready to go home.

“Sure.”

Gabe drives him back to Rein’s gym and they sit in the car for a few loaded seconds, “Thanks for taking me out.” Jack finally manages, “It was nice.”

Nice was probably too good a word, if Jack’s being honest.

Gabe walks him to the back door and Jack pulls out his set of keys to unlock it and hopefully get some sleep after this disaster of a date.

“Will you be at the aquarium this week?” Gabe asks suddenly.

Jack pauses in the unlock of his door and glances back, “Of course.”

Gabe’s shoulders seem to lose a sense of rigidity at the words and he gives Jack a hesitant smile, “Cool. Yea.”

“Good night.” Jack pops the door open, “See you monday.”

“Yea.” Gabe lifts a hand in a sad-looking wave, “You too.”

Jack slips into the hallway and the door sucks shut behind him.

He drops his head back against the door and listens as Gabe’s footsteps crunch through the crumbled asphalt of the back parking lot.

What a bust.

Jack closes his eyes, “This is why you don’t go out on dates with people you admire.” He reprimands himself, “They may look awesome on the outside, but they’re totally, completely out of your league.”

God, what a  _ waste _ .

  
  


-

  
  
  
  


Gabe watches with a cup of coffee and a frown on his face as Jack jogs past his house and hits the cliff, before running in place to cool down.

“What did I do wrong, Reap?”

Reap is at his elbow, tail flicking against his bare side as they watch the blonde together. She meows softly and headbutts his forearm.

“I usually get way better reactions out of the people I take to that place.” Gabe mumbles, “But Jack just looked -” Bored. Uncomfortable. Out of place, “He looked like he was trying to just get away from me by the end of the night.”

Reap meows irritably.

“You weren’t there.” Gabe sips his coffee with a pout, “Hottest guy ever, likes my shows and is just sitting there enjoying my sharks, but couldn’t even enjoy a date with me.”

Maybe it was just Gabe. Maybe Jack wasn’t into dudes and just liked Gabe from a professional standpoint and boy is that a buzzkill.

Jack’s too pretty to be wasted on one gender.

Jack starts up his run again and breezes past Gabe’s house and out of sight.

Gabe finishes his coffee, runs a hand between Reaps ears, and heads off to work.

Ana is lounging in his desk chair when he arrives and swivels around like some kind of villian in a bond movie.

“How did it go?” She asks with a too-happy grin.

Gabe slaps his wallet and cellphone on top of his desk, “It was a fucking disaster is what it was. It was a complete bust.”

Ana startles and sits up a little straighter, “Well that can’t be right.”

“No offence to your intuition, Ana, but Jack and I?” Gabe shakes his head, “Not exactly a chemical reaction.”

Ana’s mouth turns down into a frown, “Well, where did you go? Where did you take him?”

“To that restaurant, Talon, by the boardwalk.” Gabe waves a hand irritably, “What does it matter where I took him?”

“Gabriel.” Ana puts her face in her hands and rubs it down to her neck, “You idiot.”

Gabe scowls down at her, “That’s rude.”

“Jack isn’t one of your tourist pick me ups you try to impress to get laid.” She hisses, rising to her feet and pointing at his chest from across the desk, “He’s here to  _ stay _ .” She fussily pokes that same finger into his pec, “He’s not interested in being wined and dined.”

Gabe looks down at the finger in offense, “Hey. That restaurant is the best move in my play book, I’ll have you know.”

“Jack isn’t part of your playbook, Gabriel.” She hisses, “He’s not a tourist. He’s not on vacation. He’s here to recover and start a new life. He’s not here to be a notch on your bedpost.”

Gabe slaps her hand away, “Now you’re just insulting me.”

“You’re a good man, Gabe. With a big heart.” Ana insists, “But if you want to click with Jack, do something he likes.”

Gabe crosses his arms over his chest defensively, “I barely know him.”

“That’s because you’re not looking.” She shakes her head sadly, “He likes burgers and the greasy food from the boardwalk in the evenings. He likes Lucio’s eclairs. Moira’s jasmine tea.”

“How do you even know all of this?” Gabe asks helplessly.

“I pay attention. Everyone pays attention.” She tilts her head, “Hanzo gave you weekends off because you stopped paying attention to everything around you.”

“This is my job.” Gabe snaps, “This is my life.” He thrusts a hand at the shark tank behind her, “I’m doing this because I love what I do.”

“And it shouldn’t be the only thing you do.” She walks around the desk and takes both of his biceps into her hands, “You aren’t paying attention. You aren’t connecting.” She gives him a little shake, “You’re just ghosting between this and your home. That’s no life.”

“So I have to get a boyfriend?” Gabe hisses, “I have to listen to you and my cat and stop fucking around, is that it?”

“I’m not saying that.” She whispers, “I’m saying there’s something missing -.” Her right hand cups over his head, “Here. And you’re trying to fill that void with work and superficial hook ups that leave you lonelier every time.”

Gabe’s stomach twists unpleasantly at the truth of those words.

“What am I supposed to do then?”

“Pay attention.” She repeats with fervor, “And maybe instead of impressing Jack into your bed with fancy dinners and stilted conversation, how about you give him a tour of our island, through  _ your _ eyes?”

  
  
  


-

  
  


Jack wakes up late the next saturday sweating and shaking something fierce. He barely makes it to the bathroom in time and spends most of the morning with his face in the toilet.

By the time he’s gotten to his fridge for a bottle of water, it’s past 9 and it’s too late to go out for a run. People will be storming the beach by now and he’s in no mood to trek through the sun and sand with his stomach in knots.

So, he settles down on his couch and watches local news with some toast and a water bottle.

He tries not to think of the dream. Memory. Whatever it was.

His mind is just twisting events into nauseatingly worse timelines. Something that was ‘normal’ he had been informed. ‘You’ll get past it’ ‘It’ll go away eventually’.

Jack doesn’t see that happening any time soon.

He polishes off the water and soggy toast and looks at the clock on his phone putting him well past noon.

Not much to do on a Saturday that doesn’t involve lots of people. He might just stay in, work out in the gym below, maybe rent a movie and buy some muffins from Lucio’s to eat after he has dinner.

His phone vibrates an hour later, after he’s gotten a shower in and decided to take a stroll down to Lucio’s.

It’s Rein.

_ You have a visitor _

Jack frowns at the message as he locks up his apartment and jogs down the stairs. A few of the locals are already pumping away in the gym and on the mats. He waves and some call out his name with bright smiles and sweaty foreheads.

When he reaches the front of the store, his ‘visitor’ is pretty obvious.

Gabe is leaning against the counter, wearing a faded red t-shirt and worn jeans. He’s talking to Rein, features obviously at ease with the big man's presence as his hands wave and roll with his words.

“Hey.” Jack steps up.

Gabe glances over at him and straightens fast, “Jack. Hey.”

“Rein said I had a visitor.” Jack bounces a look between them.

“That would be me.” Gabe looks a little guilty, “I was afraid you wouldn’t come down if you knew who it was.”

Rein rises from behind the desk and shuffles off to the side.

Jack gives Gabe a wry smile, “A bad date doesn’t mean we can’t still talk.” He hums, “It’s a pretty small island.”

“Yea but it was a really, _ really _ bad date.” Gabe rubs at the bridge of his nose, “The worst I’ve ever been on.”

“Same here.” Jack tucks his hand into his pockets, “You come to apologize or to try again?”

“Both.” Gabe admits sheepishly, “If you’re up for it?”

“Depends.” Jack leans forward, “What’s the pitch?”

Gabe’s smile is slow and wide, “I’d like to surprise you.”

Jack studies him, weighing his options. On one hand, he could chill on his sofa all day and pretend he’s not swimming in nightmares. On the other, he could spend it with a good-looking man on what could  _ hopefully _ be a better date than the last one.

“Okay, Gabe. Lead the way.”

  
  


-

  
  


The first place he takes Jack is the boardwalk. It’s teeming with people and Jack tenses almost immediately.

“Just getting some grub.” Gabe lowers his voice, “Dunno if you’ve had the tacos from Sombra’s truck, but they’re the best on the island.”

Jack shakes his head, “I haven’t. I usually just grab a hot dog before they close on Fridays.”

Gabe slaps a hand between Jack’s shoulder blades, “I’m about to introduce you to nirvana on a soft tortilla, Jackie.”

The truck is decorated in neon purple and green with a vibrant skull beside the sliding glass window and on the hood of the truck itself. A woman with a shock of purple hair sits behind the window, chewing on some gum and flicking at a cellphone with a manicured nail.

She brightens when she spots Gabe, “Gabbi, what’s up?”

Gabe rests his elbows on the metal rack under the window, “Four of your specials and two churros.”

“Comin’ right up.” She grins and looks past him at Jack, “You the new guy, right? Jack something.”

“That’s me.” Jack admits.

“I see you run the beach in the morning.” She flicks out of view for a moment and something sizzles somewhere in the truck and she comes back into view, “That sand is brutal, why don’t you just use the gym?”

“Treadmills don’t get the job done.” Jack clears his throat, “And there aren’t any treadmills in foxholes, so you either run the course or get left behind.”

“A military man.” She nods thoughtfully and slips out of view again.

Gabe taps his fingers on the rack, “You run to stay in shape or because it’s habit?”

“Bit of both, I guess.” Jack scratches his arm, “Never had a place as nice as this to run though.” He motions to the beach, “Perfect weather when I do run, unless it’s raining.”

“Didn’t run this morning.” Gabe mentions.

Jack blinks and turns those baby blues his way, “How did you -.”

Gabe glances away quickly, “You run past my house. I live out by the cliff you use as a turn around.” He shrugs a shoulder, but can feel Jack’s eyes burning on his back, “I notice things.”

His  _ cat _ notices things, he means.

Fuck, he could have gone months without even knowing who Jack was if Reap hadn’t been breaking all his goddamn pots.

“Bad morning.” Jack mutters in reply, “They happen.”

Gabe turns back to him again, watching as that young face falls and looks to the ground. It hurts to look at. To think of what Jack’s been through and the reasons why he disappeared to the middle of the ocean just to get as far away from it as he could.

“We gotcha, Jack.” Gabe straightens, pulls some cash from his wallet, “Whatever you’re running from, you’re safe here.”

Jack looks up at him once again, “I appreciate that, Gabe.”

“Four specials and my classic, homemade churros.” Sombra puts a tray through the window and Jack reaches out to grab it while Gabe hands her some cash.

“Thanks boys, enjoy your date.” She waves.

“It’s not really a -.” Gabe starts, but the glass slams closed and that’s the end of that.

She wiggles her fingers at him through the fogged glass and he sneers up at her as Jack carries their food to one of the vacated plastic tables.

He sits across from Jack and sets a wad of napkins between them, “Want a beer?” He asks.

Jack is already starting to pick up the tacos, “Am I gonna need one?”

“Oh yea.” Gabe laughs, “Gimmie a sec.”

He stands up and walks across the weathered wood of the walk to get to one of the drink huts. He grabs two beers and two bottles of water before returning to the table and setting Jack’s on his side.

They dive into the tacos together and Gabe can’t even remember the last time he ate Sombra’s food. He’s been so goddamn busy, he just never found the time to swing by and eat dinner that wasn’t from the frozen aisle at the local market.

Jack looks pretty happy with his tacos, the first one is gone and he’s already halfway through with the second. He pops the top on his beer and chugs half of it in one go.

Gabe swoons a little on the inside.

This was Jack’s element.

Spicy, trash food and beer. No fancy clothes. Just comfortable and casual and - well - Jack, he supposes.

“I’m pretty shitty at dates.” Gabe admits as he hands Jack his churro and they start in on their waters.

“I wouldn’t call that shitty.” Jack bites into his, chews thoughtfully, “Just not my type of date. I drove in with a backpack and a bike, I didn’t have any wardrobe of that calibur in my closet.”

“Yea.” Gabe sighs up at the sky, “I guess I just wanted to impress you.”

When he looks back down, Jack is staring at him thoughtfully, “You don’t need to impress me, Gabe. You already have.”

Gabe’s stomach flutters and he scoots closer to the table to lean forward, “Yea?”

“I go to your shows because I enjoy watching you do your job.” Jack says, “I enjoy your voice and those last few seconds when the room is empty and the tank is just - serene.”

“You really need to let me take you to the back.” Gabe tilts his head, “It’s even better up close.”

Jack smiles, “Maybe for the third date?”

Gabe’s chest expands with that possibility, “Hell yea.”

They’re just leaving the boardwalk as the sun slips lower, bringing them near the end of the day. Their shoulders brush as they walk and Gabe isn’t ready for anything to be over yet. They’ve only just eaten and the night is still young and he doesn’t want this date to fizzle out like the last one.

“Where to now?” Jack asks carefully, “Home?”

“Sorta.” Gabe grins and drags Jack to his car.

The drive to his house is a short one, he pulls into the driveway and gets out. Jack follows with a raised eyebrow.

“Did you seriously bring me to your house?” He asks playfully, “I’m not  _ that _ easy.”

“Fuck off.” Gabe laughs, motioning him towards the front door. He toes off his shoes in the hallway and Jack follows suit.

Reap greets them, ears high and tail positioned for excitement as she darts for Jack and purrs against his legs.

“Keep it in your pants.” Gabe grumbles, “It’s unbecoming of a lady.”

“She’s beautiful.” Jack reaches down to scratch at her neck.

She preens under the attention.

“Reaper acts like a touch-starved idiot when other people are around.” Gabe walks them to the kitchen and digs around in the closet by the laundry room until he finds two pairs of water shoes, “We should be about the same size.” He tosses one pair at Jack, who catches them with ease.

“We going hiking in the water?” Jack asks as he bends down to pull them over his feet.

“Something like that.” Gabe replies, unlocking the back door and leading them past his garden, “Reap, guard the house.” She chirps in reply as Jack shuts the back door.

“Smart cat.”

“Spoiled cat.” Gabe corrects as they make their way down to the beach.

He brings them to the end of the cliffside and peers around its rocky edge. The tide is down and it’s a short, slightly slippery walk to their destination. He glances back at Jack, “You good with getting your feet wet?”

“Lead the way.” Jack looks excited, eager.

Gabe brings them through the white-capped waves and slippery rocks that sit on the ocean floor. He sneaks a few looks at Jack to make sure he’s not having any issues walking through the terrain, but Jack just looks determined and awed as he positions his steps carefully, a hand pressed against the rock face to hold his balance.

When they reach the edge of the cliff, a small stretch of flat rock sits between it and another cliff face. Water rushes over the smooth plateau and small, circular tide pools decorate the inner sanctum.

“Whoa.” Jack lets out in a rush.

Gabe hasn’t been here in months, “Watch your step, it’s going to be slippery.” He puts a hesitant foot on the edge of the rock and heaves himself up to the top of it.

He reaches down to take Jack’s hand, the warmth of it solid and firm as Jack levers himself up to join Gabe on the plateau.

“Tide pools.” Gabe explains with a dramatic flair of his hands, “We used to come here to get the aquarium tide pool exhibit specimens and see how the ocean’s treating them.”

“Wow.” Jack squats down beside one, “So, basically you make sure there’s nothing dangerous in the water.”

“That and how much they have been eating. Do storms affect their habits, so on.” Gabe squats down next to him and stares into the crystal clear hole filled with colorful starfish, urchin and tiny fish.

“Gabe, this is -.” Jack’s voice catches, “This is amazing.”

“You’ve never been near the ocean much have you?” Gabe chuckles.

“I was raised on a farm and spent the last few years of my life overseas.” Jack shoulders him with a smirk, “So no.”

“This is a real honor.” Gabe preens, “Your first boardwalk taco, your first tide pool visit, any other cherry you need popped?”

Jack snickers, “Nah.”

“I used to come here to think and study.” Gabe admits, watching a fish touch mouths with another fish, “It was the quietest place I could find.”

Even with the crashing of the waves and the roar of the wind, this had been his haven, his escape. The place he connected with the most.

And Ana was right, as always, that he’s been neglecting everything.

“You don’t come here anymore?”

Gabe sighs and dips a hand into the water to pet one of the starfish across its rippled spine, “Been too busy.”

“The aquarium really take up that much of your time?” Jack inquires.

“Not now.” Gabe says, “Hanzo made me take weekends off. So I have time, I just -.” He bites his lip, “I guess I forgot why I was doing it and stopped.”

He can feel Jack looking at him, watching his hand in the water and his profile from the side. The look isn’t pity, just curiosity. Just Jack studying him and trying to figure him out, like so many guys have tried and failed to in the past.

Of course, none of them ever planned on being here long enough for Gabe to give them the chance.

“In case you do want to take me on a third date,” Jack starts, “This is more my style.”

Gabe rolls his eyes, “Yea. Yea. You’re a simple date Jack, noted.”

“I like to be comfortable. I spent most of my time in gear three times heavier than my body weight. This is nice. This is perfect.”

Not confining, he means, not suffocating and routine.

“May want to head back before it gets dark.” Gabe stands up carefully, “Get you back before curfew or Rein might have my head tomorrow.”

He holds Jack by the elbow and together they walk slowly back to the edge of the rock. Gabe goes first, then he takes both of Jack’s hands and helps him down.

When Jack hits the water, he stumbles a bit on a swell of rock and falls against Gabe’s chest.

He’s warm and smells like aftershave and the brown sugar from the churros. Gabe’s heart shudders and all he wants to do now is drag Jack closer and follow this road wherever it may lead.

But -

He steps back and sets Jack to rights before taking his hand and pulling him back to the beach. Jack gives no resistance and his fingers curl warm around Gabe’s palm as they splash and tread through the water.

The beach is empty when they return and Gabe spots the police buggy driving back to its shack by the boardwalk.

He pauses with the waves licking at his ankles, looks at his house for a moment, where he’ll put Jack in his car and bring him home, then back at the ocean.

“Take off your shoes.” Gabe whispers, yanking frantically at his own to get them off. He tosses them towards the grass of his property line and sheds his shirt.

“What are you doing?” Jack asks with wide eyes.

“Going for a swim.” Gabe grins, walking backwards into the water, “Don’t tell me you haven’t gotten in since you’ve been here?”

“Haven’t really given it much thought.” Jack admits, pulling his own shoes off and yanking his shirt over the back of his head.

Goddamn, he is  _ unfairly _ gorgeous. Toned muscle and a shoulder to waist ratio that would make magazines cry.

Jack follows him into the water, waves hitting his knees as they go deeper and deeper until their chests are submerged.

“Is it even safe to swim at night?” Jack asks curiously, fingers playing with the surface of the water.

“You’re with a local  _ and _ I’m well versed in the ocean and her creatures.” Gabe falls back into the water and floats, “I think we’ll be fine.”

They wade for a long while, talking about everything. From where Jack grew up, to his horrible first year training for the army, to Gabe’s experience with college and how long it took the science community to respect him.

It’s easier than the cardboard conversation from the restaurant. Jack is open and giving, eyes on the cloudy sky above and mouth moving hypnotically as he tells Gabe about his disastrous first time with a dude.

“I’m pretty easy to please, but he was so selfish about it after he’d gotten his.” Their arms brush as Jack floats past him.

“In his defence, y'all were both what - 17? Quick on the trigger is normal.” Gabe smirks.

Jack slaps him, “It’s one thing to be quick and another to leave the other guy hanging after he gives you a blow job.”

“Fair enough.” Gabe admits.

Time rolls by and the stars start to disappear from the sky, the moon hidden behind clouds. Gabe doesn’t pay much mind to it, because Jack’s hair is dark gold from the water and his eyes shine as he slides that narrowed gaze his way.

It’s probably getting late and Gabe needs to bring them inside and get Jack some warm clothes and bring him home.

But Jack looks so relaxed as he wades through the water, absorbing the waves and his skin slick and chilled against Gabe’s own.

He doesn’t want it to end yet.

It’s the most fun he’s has ever had on a date in his  _ life. _

And then the sky breaks open and a deluge of evening rain falls on their heads, ice cold and sharp.

“Shit!” Gabe didn’t even notice, so caught up in Jack - in the moment -

He helps Jack through the water, stumbling and sputtering with laughter as they reach the shoreline and trudge through the now drenched sand.

They’re still laughing even after they’ve reached Gabe’s back porch and crashed through the door, sopping wet and missing their respective shirts and shoes.

Gabe shakes his head and lets out a wheeze of air, “Goddamn that is cold.”

“Freezing.” Jack agrees, “Nature sure is a killjoy.”

Gabe smiles sadly over at him, “Kind of a bad end to what I thought was a pretty good date.”

“Bad?” Jack asks incredulously, “Gabe, this was -.” He seems to be searching for the words, struggling with them actually.

Gabe wavers with anticipation, watching Jack’s face go through a few different emotions. God, he hopes Jack enjoyed this. He hopes he’ll get another chance and another and another -

Jack’s wet feet and sopping jeans eat up the two steps between them. He takes Gabe’s face in his hands and kisses him.

It’s -

Perfect and wet and tastes like the ocean they just swam in.

Jack’s lips are chilled from the rain, but his tongue is hot like a brand and tangling with Gabe’s own as his back hits the wall of the kitchen.

Water is pooling around their feet, icy and slippery, but Jack’s mouth is frantic and gentle all at once and Gabe is consumed. He doesn’t even notice how cold it is, he can only feel Jack’s warmth and his eagerness.

Gabe moans into the kiss, can feel Jack’s answering one and the tilting of that wonderful mouth in an attempt to realign the kiss. It takes them deeper, pulls Gabe completely under until he feels like he could drown in Jack’s warmth, the beat of his heart against Gabe’s own, the feel of his hands stroking over his face and neck.

When they part, Jack’s eyes are glassy and dilated and doesn’t that go straight to his dick.

“Jack -.” He pants, heartbeat wild and a fire flaring in his abdomen, “Come up to my room.”

He’s expecting a no, Jack  _ should _ say no. This was technically their first good date, they really,  _ really _ shouldn’t. It’s too risky to dive headfirst. Ana doesn’t want Jack to be just another on Gabe’s long list of flighty fancies.

But Jack is beautiful and open in front of him, blue eyes dark with arousal and his dick hard against Gabriel’s own.

Jack kisses him again and breathes a shaky, “Lead the way.” against his mouth.

  
  
  


-

  
  
  


Jack’s entire body is ramped, burning, buzzing with excitement as Gabe laces their fingers together and pulls him up a short flight of stairs.

The date was fantastic, better than Jack originally thought possible and after a kiss like that, he doesn’t see the harm in taking it a little further. He’s been staring at Gabe’s mouth all night, wanting it on his own, against his skin, anywhere really.

They stumble into the room and Jack watches Gabe begin to unbutton his pants and struggle to get the wet jeans down his thighs.

Jack does the same and laughter ensues, wet pants hit the ground and soaked underwear follows.

Gabe pulls him to the bed, both of them completely naked and the only light in the room a pink salt lamp on a bedside table.

Jack runs his hands over Gabe’s chest and pushes him down onto the sheets. His legs spread to accommodate Jack’s bulk and he sinks down against Gabe’s body, groins aligning and mouths slanting together once more.

They rut like the teenagers they aren’t, lips slick and hot and dicks sliding together in perfect synchrony. It’s an impatient motion of hips and hands that Jack can’t quite get enough of.

Gabe’s moans are musical, throaty and they vibrate against Jack’s chest and his mouth. It’s addicting and heady, and Gabe’s hands can’t seem to find the right place to settle, so he runs them up and down Jack’s spine, over the curve of his ass and urges their hips tighter together.

Jack gasps and parts from that slick mouth, breath hot on Gabe’s cheek as he reaches down and yanks one of Gabe’s thighs higher up and around his hip.

The angle is better and Gabe hisses, raising his hips and looking up at Jack with a sort of reverence that Jack has never seen on any partners face.

His heart tightens and twists, and he comes with a strangled shout, hips locking tight to Gabe’s own.

Gabe eases him through it with petting hands and murmured whispers of ‘ _ That’s it, baby, you feel amazing _ .’

Jack nuzzles at Gabe’s neck for a long moment before levering himself up and staring down at the mess he made all over Gabe’s cock.

He wraps a hand around it and smears his own come over the rigid length.

Gabe’s hips seize and a moan rips free from that kiss-swollen mouth. His eyes are darker than normal, jumping between Jack’s stroking fist and his face, unsure of where to look.

Jack twists and focuses the suction of his fist at the head. He squeezes in intervals, flicks his thumb over the slit and plays with the throbbing vein on the underside.

“Oh fuck, oh  _ fu _ -.” Gabe’s head kicks back as he comes in thick, shooting ropes across his stomach.

Jack works him through the rest of it, his fist slick with both of their come now. He watches Gabe collapse into the bed, chest heaving and looking exhausted and gorgeous against the dark sheets.

The light from the lamp highlights his limp outline in a glow that Jack has seen before.

Just once, on the shoreline, where a man stood in the light of the moon and Rein called him a witch and  _ Oh _ .

The universe  _ was _ trying to tell him something.

  
  


-

  
  
  


Gabe wakes suddenly when Reap walks across his bladder at about three am. He grunts and rolls forward, swatting her away irritably as he gets up and walks down the hall to his tiny bathroom.

She follows him, meow soft and worried.

He squints down at her in the darkness, hoping he doesn’t miss the toilet too bad as he empties his bladder.

“I’ll feed you later.”

She meows again.

“Later.” He waves a hand at her and trudges back to his bedroom, where he stops in the doorway.

Jack is still in his bed, face scrunched up unpleasantly and chest pumping too much to be normal. His shoulders shake as he tries to roll over, a raspy moan follows, but only ends up sounding choked and miserable.

Reap jumps onto the bed and settles on Jack’s stomach, meowing softly and pawing clawlessly at his heart. She nuzzles her wet nose against his skin and tries to settle the terrors, but it’s no use.

Gabe steps back out of the room and goes down to his kitchen. He pulls the sleeping herb from the new pot on the windowsill, grabs a few more from his dry herb cabinet and a bottle of purified water from the fridge.

He spends a good fifteen minutes mixing and pouring and squinting at the bright lights he’s had to turn on so early in the morning. But once he’s done, he carries the mixture upstairs in a metal bowl and takes a slow, careful seat on the edge of his bed.

“The things you must have seen.” Gabe mutters softly, “No one should ever have to lose sleep because if it.” He dips his fingers in the mixture and spreads it across Jack’s forehead, over his temples and beneath the curve of his nose.

When he’s done, he sets the bowl on his side of the bed and pulls the sheets over his legs.

Jack is finally settling down by the time Gabe’s gotten comfy. The lines of Jack’s face have relaxed and he rolls slightly, into Gabe’s side. He’s warm and solid and everything Gabe’s been missing in his bed. One of his massive arms curls over Gabe’s stomach, pulling him in as tight as their bodies will allow and that big frame sinks against his own, relaxed and finally free of the bad dreams.

“Sleep well, Jack.” Gabe whispers, kissing the top of that blonde head and falling back to into his pillows.

  
  
  


-

  
  
  
  


Jack does the walk of shame with his head held high as Rein gives him a curious look from the door of his office.

“Just now coming home are we?” There’s a knowing smirk on the old man’s face.

Jack ducks his head and swings around to climb his stairs, “Late night.”

“Uh-huh.” Rein slips into his office and out of sight.

Jack knows what he looks like. Wearing one of Gabe’s hoodies, a pair of his sweatpants. The only thing that are his are his shoes from before they went for their evening water exploration.

His body is loose and gloriously free of whatever was holding it tense for so long. He truthfully didn’t want to leave Gabe’s house, but it was too -

Too much.

He shuts his door, clambers to his fridge and chugs a whole bottle of water.

Gabe was still snoozing when he’d woken up, beautiful and facing away from Jack, but still close enough to touch. Reap had been behind his knees, wise eyes watching him as he sat up and tried to figure out what the funny smell in his nose was.

There was a thin film on his upper lip and forehead, smelling of earthy herbs and spices he couldn’t quite place. He’d spotted a silver bowl resting on Gabe’s table.

_ Witch,  _ Rein’s voice supplied helpfully in his head.

Reap meowed and stretched, her paws gliding over where his knees had been covered by the blankets.

“Familiar.” He had whispered at her.

Reap just rolled onto her back as though agreeing with him.

And Jack bolted.

Practically power walked all the way back to his apartment, to sit on his couch with a bottle of cold water and try to wrap his head around the fact that he had the best sex of his life with a man he barely knows. 

Who might also be a witch.

Jack puts the water to his forehead.

And he’d slept. Really,  _ really _ well, thanks to whatever Gabe did to him during the night.

Because sex never helps. Exhausts him, yes. Helps? Never.

So it would have to have been whatever was in the bowl.

“Fuck.” Jack shouts, “What am I doing?”

_ Falling in love _ , his brain supplies helpfully.

“No.” He swallows thickly, “I didn’t come here for that. Gabe’s awesome, Gabe’s -” Perfect, amazing, everything Jack thought he would be up until that disastrous first dinner.

“Dangerous.” Jack reminds himself, “No one needs to be saddled with your baggage.”

He wouldn’t wish the bullshit he brought back with him on any other human being. They don’t need his nightmares or his jumpiness or his problems. That’s not something he ever planned on sharing. It’s better kept to himself. Where it’s safe, where he can’t hurt anyone.

Especially Gabe.

  
  
  


-

  
  


To say Gabe's disappointed that Jack’s not in his bed when he wakes is an understatement. Last night had been life changing, monumental. Important in all the ways that truly mattered.

He hasn’t had anyone in his bed and so close to his heart like that in years and Jack isn’t even here to let him reap the benefits. Breakfast in bed or hell, a short jaunt to Lucio’s for coffee and doughnuts.

When he finally gains the strength to go downstairs, Reap is in the foyer at the base, body straight and staring hard at the front door. She gives a forlorn meow as he approaches.

“Yea.” Gabe swallows and rubs at his chest, “I miss him already too.”

Reap stands up and weaves between his legs. He follows her to the kitchen, where he pours her some food and water, then sets about making a bowl of cereal.

He tries not to think about last night.

Jack’s kisses and moans, the sound of his heart beat and the feel of his warmth against Gabe’s chest. The way he looked at Gabe in the aftermath, as though he was seeing something too wonderful to put into words.

As though Gabe was special.

He tries and fails to not think about it.

He lowers his spoon into the bowl and wishes Jack had stayed.

“I think it’s a little soon to be feeling this way.” He mentions to Ana on Monday morning when he’s sitting at his desk and doing his daily reports.

Ana is nursing a cup of tea and a neutral expression, “Love is not always a slow, gentle process, Gabriel.”

“I didn’t say anything about love.” Gabe grips his pen tighter, “It’s too soon to even being thinking about that.”

“Are you sure?” She asks him, the smell of her tea growing stronger as she approaches his desk, “Because Saturday night sounds borderline destined.”

Gabe closes his eyes, “There’s no such thing.”

“Shame on you.” She whispers, “Denying your own magic like that.”

“It doesn’t work that way.” Gabe hisses up at her, “We don’t wave wands, we’re not  _ sorcerers,  _ we’re just humans with a little something extra.”

“Jack was brought here to you.” She says, “He was guided here, by whatever means you want to believe.”

“Reinhardt told him to come.” Gabe grits his teeth.

“And he didn’t have to.” She supplies, “He could have stayed on his farm with his parents and gotten his life back together on his own, but he followed something here.”

He sets his pen down and rubs at his temples.

God, he misses Jack. He misses his laughter and the color of his eyes and the way he talks about life like it will be his last chance to say it.

“It’s too soon to be feeling like this.” He sounds too broken, “This kind of fast infatuation is dangerous, it could burn out too fast and I wouldn’t be -.” Ready to let go when Jack does.

“Gabriel.” Ana reaches forward and tips up his chin, “Allow yourself to be happy. I did, and it is the most beautiful thing you can imagine. Happiness. Love.” Her thumb brushes over his cheek, “I’m not saying you have to. I’m saying give it a chance. Let it consume you and welcome it the same way you welcome your magic.”

“Why?” He croaks.

“Because love is a different breed of magic.” She replies, “It is woven in everything we are. It is the only magic we can not control or manipulate or summon. It must be given and earned and accepted.”

“He left me, Ana.”

“He’s confused and is dealing with his own inner turmoil, let him come back to you.” She steps away and gathers her tea close, “Stick to your office, work with the new girls who just arrived. I’ll handle the tank today.”

He does as she orders and makes his way to the quarantine tanks in the inner levels of the building. Angela is hovering over the shark tanks with a clipboard and her hair tied neatly in a bun at the base of her skull.

“How many?” He asks.

“Just two.” She points the end of her pen at the two identical tiger sharks in the water below, “One with a dorsal fin injury, needs stitches and some help swimming in deep waters, the other seems to be drifting a little to much too the right.”

“Inner ear perhaps?” Gabe murmurs.

“She’ll need to be taken out and examined.” Angela says, “I’ll get Rick in here to help us sedate her.”

Gabe leans over the tanks, “Wanna name them?”

“Oh that honor is yours.” She smiles softly, “You look a little rough.”

“Long night.” He admits, “Gonna need to stop by your wife's place later today and restock. Used up some of my stores.”

Angela chuckles, “I’m sure Moira will be excited to see a familiar face in her shop that isn’t just ooing and ahhing at the ‘alternative’ lifestyle she leads.”

“People eat that shit up.” Gabe smirks.

“And she enjoys the money, I assure you.” Angela tsks, “She takes plenty advantage of their naivety, though she fumes about lack of respect for the craft.”

“Moira will be Moira.” Gabe says.

“Yes, she will.” Angela agrees.

  
  
  
  


-

  
  
  
  


Jack waits a few days before he goes back to the aquarium. In fact, he waits most of the week. Doesn’t go in till friday at the last showing of the day, only because he was sick of sitting in his apartment feeling sorry for himself.

He stared at the TV and brought his bike to Jesse and sat down with Genji for a few hours to just chat about nothing.

Then he bought a whole shelf of Lucio’s cookies and binge watched cooking shows until he couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore.

The nightmares were the same. The only constant in his life apparently, because he couldn’t allow himself to have  _ good _ things, god fucking forbid.

But as he runs the beach Friday morning and sits at the desk in the gym and monitors the coming and going of the local members, he realizes he’s being an idiot.

A complete moron for not going to see Gabe after the night they shared.

Sitting here acting like falling in love with a ocean-life adoring witch was the worst thing he could imagine happening to him, when it is in fact the best thing to ever happen to him.

So he watches the clock and waits until the last showing to enter the aquarium. Hana waves eagerly at him from her post at the ticket booth and he waves back. She gives him a thumbs up and he wonders just how many people on the island already know they went on a date.

Sombra, he supposes.

Ana presents the show as usual and is only momentarily surprised when she spots him in the crowd.

He knows when Gabe spots him from the tank as well. His presentation is a little more nervous and his words stumble a few times. But it’s still the most relaxing thing Jack’s seen and he hates himself for missing it this week.

The people filter out at the end and Ana gives him a wink as she steps through the curtain to the back room.

Gabe remains on stage, having answered more questions after the last feeding of the day. He’s still in his scuba gear and looking a little lost as Jack walks across the room and stares up at him from the floor to the stage.

“I explicitly remember you telling me I could have a tour of the back.” Jack clears his throat, “If you’re still up for it.”

“I am.” Gabe puts a hand out and Jack takes it, allowing him to climb on stage.

Gabe doesn’t let go of his hand as they walk through the back to his office, where he watches Gabe strip down to nothing and put on some regular clothes. Ana knocks once on the door, peeking through, “We’re all leaving for the day. Whole place is yours. You two behave.” She winks and leaves.

“Will you get in trouble?” Jack whispers.

“Nah.” Gabe waves a hand at him as they walk down the corridors, “Hanzo might frown at me a bit, but he’ll get over it.”

The first place Gabe takes him is the rehabilitation room. It’s full of small tanks with various creatures injured or sick. Stingrays and sharks and turtles and fish as big as dolphins.

Gabe leads him to the sharks, “These are my newest girls.” He pats the board attached to the side of their tank, “Celeste and Serene. Both in need of my tender loving care.”

Jack leans over the tank to stare at the two beautiful tiger sharks, “They’re in good hands, then.”

“No one better.” Gabe grins, “Come on. The rest of the place is awesome when there isn’t a hundred people loitering about.”

And it isn’t a fib by a long shot.

The entire aquarium is beautiful with only the blue lights from the tanks. It illuminates the floors and the information stands and the fish float lazily through their respective waters. It’s a magical, breathtaking experience.

Jack takes it all in with undisguised awe, guided by Gabe’s hand.

Gabe lets him pet the sea turtles in the tanks, the water cool under his hands. The creatures are bigger up close, playful as the stingrays they visit next.

Jack gets to feed those. They suck his arm to the elbow and the feeling is gross and funny all at the same time.

“Hana loves these damn things.” Gabe chuckles as Jack eagerly holds out his hand for another squid to feed a splashing ray.

“I can see why.” Jack grins, dipping his hand back into the tank and luring yet another one with the slippery creature, “This is fun.”

Gabe smiles at him from across the short space, face rippled with muted light and looking so goddamn handsome it makes Jack’s heart squeeze.

At the end of the tour, after they’ve seen the beautiful silence of an aquarium at night, Gabe takes him back to the shark presentation room. Where it all started.

The sharks swim round and round, some skim the bottom, a sea turtle floats with the current in the tank.

Gabe leads him up the stairs and onto the stage until they’re standing in the middle of the glass exhibit. Gabe’s outlined in blue now, eyes dark and questioning as he studies Jack’s face. Asking a question Jack is ready to answer.

“I wasn’t sure if you were going to -.” Gabe clears his throat and tries again, “You left.”

Jack nods and lets out a shaky breath, “You terrify me.”

That’s not exactly what Gabe wanted to hear judging by the wince, “Shit. Sorry.”

“No.” Jack grapples at him, reeling him back in when he tries to step away, “I mean - this -.” He motions between them, “It’s not happening too fast? We’re not taking this too far?”

“Not far enough.” Gabe swallows, “Not fast enough.”

Jack relaxes a bit, “I thought I was crazy. I think I’m crazy. This has to be crazy.”

“Sometimes you just jump.” Gabe shrugs.

“Jumping is exactly my thing.” Jack smiles warily, “But shit, Gabe. This is a wild jump, even for me.”

“You’re not jumping alone.” Gabe pulls him in for a kiss.

  
  


-

  
  
  


Gabe kisses Jack, slow and sure in front of the creatures he’s saved. In the cool blue light of the place that he’s been in love with most of his life, he kisses the man he hopes he’ll get to love until the end of it.

And Jack accepts with muted sounds of pleasure. His hands curl around Gabe’s hips and he presses them flush, aligned and merged with the light from the tanks.

Gabe parts after a moment, “I’m going to make love to you, right here on this stage. Then I’m going to take you home and do it again and again. Until you don’t want me anymore.”

Jack’s face twists into something painful and vulnerable all at once, “Please.”

He practically drags Jack down to the ground, divesting both of them of their clothes. He arranges them so Jack can lay out and digs a sample pack of lube from the back pocket of his jeans, along with a condom. 

“More comfy since we’re not at my place.” Gabe spreads Jack’s legs and presses a lubed finger against the furl of his hole, “But once we’re there I’m going to fuck you bare, in my bed, with candles and music and just me and you.” He slips the first finger inside with a slow, careful penetration. Jack’s head tilts back with a drawn out moan that sets his dick to twitching.

He takes his time stretching Jack out to fit the girth of his cock. Jack rides his fingers beautifully, with tortured sounds and breathy exhalations of Gabe’s name.

There’s a special kind of magic in the way Jack moves against him. In the way his lips part for air and the strain of his thighs as he spreads his legs and allows Gabriel to take him apart from the inside.

His skin glows in the light, flushed red all the way down to his cock and looking every bit as gorgeous as Gabe imagined he’d be.

His destiny laid bare at the base of his life work.

And when he gets inside?

Absolute paradise.

Jack sucks him in, tight and almost too hot for Gabe to handle. His jaw clenches with every flutter of Jack’s ass around his cock. His hands dig red marks into those strong thighs as he wraps them around his waist and settles them heart to heart.

Jack rises and falls with him like the tide, moving together like a dance remembered. As though they’ve done this a thousand times before, in a thousand different lifetimes.

Jack writhes and calls out for him, hands eager and mouth hot. Burning for him and only him.

Gabe will never know pleasure like this with anyone else.

He’ll make sure of it.

  
  
  


-

  
  
  
  


Jack wakes with the sun as he always does, but this time a little groggy and sore in places he hasn’t been sore in years.

Gabe grunts and rolls, slapping an arm over his chest and keeping him down against the pillow, “Don’t you dare.”

Jack chuckles and cards his fingers through the fluff on top of Gabe’s head, “I’m just going to the bathroom.”

Gabe squints up at him suspiciously, “You’ll make Reaper sad again if you leave.”

“She has nothing to worry about.” Jack assures him, unfolding his legs over the side of the bed and hurrying to the bathroom.

He isn’t gone long, but long enough for Gabe to fall back asleep and for Reap to curl up on Jack’s pillow. It’s quite the sight, early morning light through a window overlooking the sea, a naked man in bed waiting for him.

Five months ago he was sweating in the desert and wanting nothing more than to be home again. Then, when he got home, there was nothing left there for him.

But here, in the quiet space, he feels like he is exactly where he needs to be.

“You okay?” Gabe lifts his head slowly, eyes narrowed from sleep, hair a mess, pillow creases on his cheeks.

“Yea.” Jack returns to the bed and it dips with his weight. He leans over and jostles Reaper, who meows and paws at Jack’s arm, “Let me kiss him, damn.”

Gabe grins and lifts his head for the mentioned kiss that Jack accepts eagerly. He keeps it slow and purposeful, shivering when Gabe’s sleep warm hands glide down his spine to rest above the sore part of his ass.

“Ah.” Jack nips at his bottom lip, “I want breakfast first.”

“Lucio makes some mean ass doughnuts.” Gabe offers, fingers dancing and squeezing over Jack’s ass, “We can shower, I can blow you, then we can get some coffee.”

“You drive a hard bargain.” Jack rolls out of bed again and can hear when the mattress groans as Gabe follows.

Reap weaves in and out of their feet in the bathroom, ready to sit between the curtains while warm water rains against it.

“Hey.” Jack pauses in the middle of washing his hair.

Gabe hums under the lull of the spray and cracks an eye open, “Yea?”

“You sure you want to do this?” Jack can feel the soap gliding down his cheeks, “This could blow up in our faces.”

“We don’t have to jump off the cliff just yet.” Gabe pulls Jack forward to join him under the spray, fingers helping to wash the soap away, “We can take some of it slow.”

It’s a good idea. It’s a smart idea, but Jack has been burned before. So many times, wearing his heart on his sleeve only to watch it dissolve into ash as quickly as it happens.

“I don’t know if I can trust it.” Jack admits quietly.

“Jack, this thing we have, this connection - I  _ know _ it’s real.” Gabe brushes the suds off of Jack’s face, fingers curling down his neck and over the rise of his shoulders, “It’s going to consume us. It’s going to burn us alive.” Jack wonders if Gabe can feel the frantic beat of his heart under those wonderful hands, “I’m a disaster at being human and you’re still trying to find your place outside of war.”

“I don’t want you to see some parts of me, Gabe.” Jack croaks, “They’re not pretty.”

“Well neither are certain parts of the ocean, but I still go back every time to save them.” Gabe peers at him, so sure, so confident, “You’re not going anywhere, right?”

Jack shakes his head, “I want to stay here with you.”

“Then we have all the time in the world to figure this out.” Gabe says lifting their hands and twining their fingers together under the water.

It’s more than Jack ever expected.

And much later, they’re going to stumble out of the shower, sated and relaxed. Gabe will drag Jack in for a kiss while they get dressed and trip over a very eager and happy Reaper and they’ll walk into Lucio’s bakery.

They’ll get breakfast together and people will stop to say hello and ask how they are.

It will happen for weeks, for months, for years.

And as times passes, Jack will come to know that peace is with Gabriel and his small cottage and his sassy cat at the edge of the sea.

And with time, he knows he will heal.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_End_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for the continued support, comments, and kudos.
> 
> This past year in the OW fandom has been so good to me and I'm forever thankful for everyone's continued support!


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